In connecting flexible conduit containing electrical cables to a junction box or similar electrical enclosure, it is often necessary to ensure that the resulting connection is raintight, i.e. that water, due to beating rain or similar intermittent weather conditions, does not enter the conduit or the junction box through the connector. Typically, connectors used for coupling flexible conduit to a junction box include a one piece water-tight housing which fixedly engages the flexible conduit. In order to provide a watertight seal between the conduit and the connector housing, the conduit is nonmovably attached to the connector housing, a watertight seal being provided at the intimate engagement of the plastic connector housing and the plastic flexible conduit. However a major drawback of this construction is that this type of connector cannot be screw inserted into a threaded opening in a junction box, as once a length of conduit is attached to the connector, the one piece connector can no longer be rotated into the threaded opening.
The art has also seen the use of rotatably connectable two piece housing members which permit connection to the conduit. One piece is rotatably attached to a second piece which in turn can be screw inserted into a threaded hold in the junction box. However, at the juncture of the two pieces of this type connector, raintight connection may not be maintained. In order to maintain an effective raintight seal at the juncture of two rotatably coupled members a sealing ring or similar elastomeric grommet or bushing is needed. Once an elastomeric member is inserted between two coupled parts, their relative mobility is decreased due to frictional engagement. Further, the installer must couple multiple connector parts to provide a complete raintight connection. In addition, these multi-piece connector require extra connector parts including the elastomeric sealing ring which may be subject to wear and degradation upon frequent rotation of the parts. Once the sealing ring is damaged or worn, the connector will no longer be raintight.
Additionally, in typical applications the flexible conduit is screw threaded onto a cylindrical body, the screw engagement of the threads of the body with the plastic conduit provide a watertight seal. However, it has been found that connection may be susceptible to flow of low viscosity fluid (oil) which may be present in the environment in which these connectors are used.
It is, therefore, desirous to provide a raintight and oiltight connector which can be screw inserted into a threaded opening of a junction box and yet employ minimal parts to reduce the adverse effect of wear on the connector.